BSNL plans to connect 1,518 gram panchayats with Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) this year in Assam to ensure rural connectivity.

"We have emphasised on rural connectivity and 5,200 kms of OFC will be laid this year to cover 1,518 gram panchayats, which accounts 70 per cent of the total gram panchayats in the state," BSNL Chief General Manager M K Seth said in a talk show conducted by All India Radio, Guwahati.

Seth said that Kshetri Gaon Panchayat in Kamrup district is likely to become the first digital gram panchayat of the country, an AIR release said today.

BSNL will provide three thousand hot spots at important places and has already initiated steps for automatic hook up points through wireless network, he said.

High-speed network will be installed in Guwahati by March this year and "BSNL has taken steps for automatic hook up point through wireless network. There would be 3000 access points (hot spots) at important points," he said

Following demonetisation, BSNL has tied-up with SBI and will soon launch an e-wallet 'Mobicash'.

Assam IT department's Joint Secretary Fakaruddin Ahmed said that a target has been set to make one lakh people digitally literate by March and 25 lakh by 2022.

"We have already trained 65 thousand people so far and our target is to make 25 lakh people digitally literate by 2022 for which Assam government has taken a holistic approach," he said.

Assam government has set the target to provide television, internet and telephone connection through a single connection to provide financial benefit to the people.